When The Rose Whithers
by everChanged
Summary: Many years after the Phantom incident, Christine has married the de Chagny, lost him to disease, and had a daughter, Eliza. But secrets from her past have been kept and are about to be revealed. What really happened after the Opera? Christine had more


Prologue - Discovery  
  
"Good morning, Elizabeth."  
"Good morning, mother."  
There came the beautiful Mademoiselle Elizabeth de Chagny into the large, simple room that belonged to her mother. Elizabeth was an extremely unique young woman, having at the age of 22 retained the strange and yet stunningly beautiful coloring she had been born with many years ago. She possessed absolutely white hair and piercing violet eyes that were set against a lovely soft pallor of skin. Though such coloring would stun anyone of French descent, here in Italy she was admired by every woman and became a sought after treasure by every man. Venice, Italy had been graced by her presence just three years before when she'd decided to visit her mother at the budding age of 19. After arriving and touring the area, the reactions she received should not have bothered her much. She was used to such scrutiny. Yet, their astonishment was not accompanied by disapproving shock or fear of any kind. In fact, it had been the other way around. Since Italy was a place that bred mostly darker people, to see someone who resembled that of a porcelain doll was quite a wonder and a great honor. But her growing fame was not what kept her there. Aside from the fact that she was growing much closer to her mother the longer she stayed, her love for the country was becoming even greater. The rich food and spirited people she met enticed her to stay, and stay she did. Her only regret was not being able to see the country herself. Her mother had done her best to explain the exquisite beauty of their world to her but soon found that the French language was unable to describe it without undervaluing its attractiveness.  
Elizabeth was blind. She had been born blind and had never known the difference between black and white. Her foreign beauty was of no concern to her, and the criticisms she had been given all her life did not faze her confidence. She was just like her father, arrogant and stubborn. She saw no flaws in herself. Only the unique beauty she'd been given by God.  
Elizabeth, or Eliza as they often called her, took her seat in the jade armchair across from her mother, smiling all the while. Christine returned her expression of joy with a gentle curve of her lips. A memory of such beauty once being her own filled her mind. Golden curls, lily white skin and stunning blue eyes. A similar color pallet to Eliza's. Elizabeth resembled her quite a lot in the respect of facial features. She had a nose quite similar to hers, although it was pointed up at least a quarter of an inch further than Christine's. She had the same blushing cheeks and open, innocent eyes. But her features gave off an arrogant air rather than the naiveté her mother's had possessed in her younger days. Yet, even now Christine had a very child-like appearance. Only, these days it made people think of her as a gentle middle-aged woman with many exciting stories to tell, and that she did.  
"Mamman, I've come because I am concerned about my past. I found this letter and had the maid read it to me..."  
Eliza handed the letter to her mother, who now looked somewhat stricken and yet also expectant of this news.  
"I see..." Christine replied, looking down at the note.  
Reading it over several times, as if retracing her memories back to the very moment when she'd first found it, tears filled her eyes. Elizabeth did not understand what the letter could mean, but Christine knew very well.  
"My darling..." Christine's voice was nothing but a murmur, and she had to repeat herself for her daughter's sake, "There is nothing to worry about. Your past is exactly as you remember. You are a de Chagny, I am your mother, and you are your father's."  
Eliza shook her head, an intensely concerned expression pressed into her features, "But, mamman. It says that..."  
Christine hastily replied, knowing full well what the letter said, "Yes, I know."  
"Then of whom does he speak of?" Elizabeth inquired.  
"Perhaps it is time you hear of my past..." Christine replied in a much more serious tone, "My entire past..."  
"What... What more is there to know?"  
Elizabeth sounded hesitant, unsure of what she may come to hear. Christine merely told her that she should listen to her carefully, and not to leave in the middle of her story, because no one else had ever heard of this before Eliza.  
  
(Author's Note: I do not own the original POTO chars. Also, please read and review. I appreciate all constructive criticisms and comments. :-) Also, for all of you E/C ending fans, this will not end up to be one. But, I assure you, most of the story will be comprised of E/C moments and will revolve around what happened between Erik and Christine before she had Eliza. Though, it will involve lots of other characters as well. :-D ) 


End file.
